Something's Not Right
by Ariel S
Summary: Draco is being typical and until Hermione gets angry. One thing leads to another...If you get my drift...Please R&R. It's my first fanfic. Be nice, no flames. Actually...Go ahead and flame. Have a blast too.
1. Confusing Thoughts

**Story:  **Something's not right…

**Chapter:**  Confusing thoughts

**Summary:  **Draco is being typical, and Hermione gets angry.  But when they have to serve detention together, and complete a project, they come to realize there is a fine line between love and hate.

**Disclaimer**:  I do not own anything having to do with Harry Potter.  Except the books, maybe, and the movies, a few magazine covers, and a couple posters….Just kidding.  I am a slow reader, so I am sorry if you do not like it, because I don't know the characters as well as you.

**Rating:**  PG-13.  It's probably really only PG, but just to be safe…And it's PG for the repetitive swearing and other things later.  Yeah.

**A/N:  **Just so you all know, this is my first fanfic, and I welcome constructive criticism, but flames are not accepted.  Please.  I'll never write again.  And I won't post the next chapter until I am satisfied with the amount of reviews.

            It started out like any other lunch would—the dream team was sitting at their table along with Ginny and Colin.  Harry and Ron were quickly scribbling random thoughts onto parchment (potions homework).  Hermione, as usual, had already done that, so she wrote a letter.

            "What are you writing?" questioned Ginny.

            "A letter," responded Hermione, slightly brewing a curiosity in Ginny.

            "To whom?" she asked.  Hermione rolled her chocolate brown eyes and smirked.

            "Someone," she retorted.  Ginny shrugged casually and noticed someone hovering over her.  He was almost breathing down her neck, trying to read what Hermione was writing; for he was curious as well.

            "How's the Weasel?" asked a cold, chilling voice.  Ginny stood to her feet and balled her fists angrily.

            "Fine," she retorted, gritting her teeth.  "Funny that you should care!"  Draco rolled his eyes and began walking away.  Before he could get far, another smart-ass comment entered his mind and he whirled around to state it.

            "And Mudblood," he said curtly, "How would you be?"  Hermione stood, about a head shorter than Draco and waved her finger in his face.  
            "I'm perfectly fine."  Hermione clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.  "Not like you care, Malfoy!"

            "But I do care, Mudblood."  He grinned from ear to ear and her face became like an apple; red with anger.

            "Shut it!  Don't call me Mudblood again!" she hollered, gaining the attention of several students, and teachers for that matter.

            "Or what?  You'll hit me?  Huh, Mudblood?"  Hermione shook her head aimlessly and raised her fist.  "I'm terrified now, Mudblood," Draco added with a great deal of sarcasm.

            Hermione drew back her fist in anger and pushed at Draco's head with all the might she had in her.  She hit him square in the left side of his jaw.  Her onyx ring pulled a slight bit of skin from his cheek, causing blood to trickle onto the floor.  Draco lifted his hand to his cheek and rubbed the spot Hermione had made tender.  Draco stole an icy look from Hermione and then returned it.

            "Bloody hell, Hermione!" exclaimed Ron, amazed.

            She curled her lip and bit on it, waiting for a reaction from Draco.  Harry cleared his throat and Hermione whirled to face an astounded professor Snape.

            "40 points from Griffyndor!" bellowed Snape.  "And I believe you know why, Miss Granger."  Hermione nodded and rolled her eyes.

            "Bloody hell," Ron murmured.

            "Ten more points for inappropriate language usage!" Snape hollered again.  Harry shot Ron a wicked glare.

            "Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy," stated Professor Mcgonnagal.  "I ask you to follow me to my office."  Hermione nodded and Draco smirked malevolently.  

            "Bloody hell," muttered Ron, turning back to Harry who shot him a look that said 'shut up'.  Ron only shrugged and bit his lip.

~~~

            Hermione lay in her bed that night, mentally smacking herself repeatedly for punching Malfoy._  Why'd I even have to do that? _she wondered.  _AND I got fifty points taken from my house.  That was cruel.  No it wasn't.  Don't care!  It was _only_ Draco.  I mean Malfoy.  Still, I should apologize.  No, I shouldn't.  Yes, I should._

            She battled herself to sleep with the agonizing question of apologizing.  She decided she would tomorrow night at detention with him.  Mcgonnagal had used detention, that they would serve together, for their punishment.  They would spend the next week, every night, doing something or other for the teachers.  Whatever needed done, they would do.

~~~

            The next morning, Draco awoke with a slight twinge of pain in his lower jaw.  _Ouch,_ he thought.  _That filthy Mudbl—Granger can hit pretty damn hard.  He shook his head and dressed in his robes for the day.  He trudged to his common room and spotted Pansy._

            Evading Pansy's bothersome search, he slipped to his first class—potions—unnoticed.  He took his normal seat in the second row of desks before anyone else arrived.  

            "Something bothering you?"  Draco jumped at the voice and whirled to face Ron.

            "I don't waste my precious time talking to scum like weasels," stated Draco firmly.  Ron shook his head and rolled his eyes.

            "I was being sarcastic anyways," retorted Ron.  Soon enough, Hermione and Harry rushed in and took their seats, in the third row, directly behind Malfoy.

            Snape rushed in wearing all black with an angry face and voice.  "Quiet!" roared Snape.  The class quickly shrank into their desks and took out their homework.  "We'll be having a new seating chart as of today.  This class talks too much, especially the Griffyndors, and I have no time for such nonsense.  The students I have the least amount of problems with will be sitting in the back."  The entire potions class groaned and professor Snape unrolled a parchment and began to read aloud.  Most were the names of Slytherins, considering that they were the least likely to cause the potions professor any trouble.

            "Mr. Malfoy," he called as Draco stood and sauntered to the back of the room.  "Miss Granger," he bellowed, and Hermione duplicated the act Malfoy had just done.  She glanced at her two best friends and they urged her with a hint of sympathy in their looks.  She nodded and rolled her eyes and knew there was no point of protesting, for Snape did what he wants.

            The lesson began, but Hermione refused to pay attention.  Her mind was elsewhere.

            _Pass him a note, she told herself.  _No, that would not help my situation.  If Snape caught me, I'd be dead.  Catch him after class.  Yes,_ she decided.  _That will work.__

            She quickly glanced at Draco and noticed a scab from her ring with a deep purple circle around it.  She winced in pain, just thinking about it.  _I must have hurt him a lot.  She shook her head and rolled her eyes._

            "Class dismissed," yelled Snape.  Draco and Hermione began shoving books and notebooks into their bags.

            "Draco," she said timidly.  "I apologize for punching you.  It was rude and it won't happen again; even if you deserve it."  Draco smirked slightly and Hermione enraged, but somehow managed to remain composed.

            "It's not my fault you're a filthy Mudbl—_wizard, Granger," he retorted tersely._

            She shook her head.  Obviously, Malfoy was never going to learn respect.  Hermione snatched her things and Ron and Harry caught up with her.

            "You shouldn't have to apologize to him," stated Harry, annoyed that she did.

            "Yes I did.  What I did was wrong, and don't even try to deny it.  But there will be no more apologizing because there will be no more outbursts of rage."  She nodded, content with her decision and the two boys shook their heads.  

            "You just need to ignore his remarks," announced Harry which annoyed Hermione even more.

            "You should follow your own advice," she commented making Harry roll his eyes.  _It's not like Harry's just let something lie, especially when it comes to Malfoy._

~~~

            At the end of the day, Draco retired to his dormitory and laid on his bed, wondering what had caused Hermione to apologize to him.  He lifted his hand to his cheek and balled his fist as he remembered what she had done to him.

            _Still, he thought, __she would never apologize.  What's wrong with her lately?  I have to admit, she did look really cute when she hit you.  Ugh!  No she didn't!  Stop thinking these thoughts!  The battle in his mind continued as he slowly drifted into a somber sleep._

            "Draco?" called an all too familiar voice.  He shook his head and sat up.  "Are you up there?"

            Draco stood and sauntered down the stairs to the Slytherin common room.  

            "Yes," he said as his foot hit the bottom step.

            "Let me see what that Mudblood has done to you."  Pansy rushed forward and touched her hand to Draco's teeth and let it linger there.  Draco snatched her wrist away and placed her hand at her side.  She made a sad face, as though he had broken her heart.

            "It still hurts," he said in attempt to make the look disappear.  It did.  _I hate it when she touches me,_ he thought.  He sat on the couch in front of the fire and listened to Pansy complain about her life.  He nodded every now and then, to satisfy her, but his thoughts circled Hermione.


	2. Hermione's Screwup

**Disclaimer:  **I do not own these characters.  Bummer, ain't it?

**Chapter:  **Hermione's screw-up (Two)

**A/N:  **I don't know much about the class schedules, but let's pretend this is right…It will help you to understand the story.  And thanks to all zero reviewers I got for last chapter.  I know, it's cliché.

            On her way to professor Mcgonnagal's office for detention, Hermione felt a sudden rumbling at her feet.  She glanced down and noticed the staircase had decided to change directions.  She tried to race to where she was headed for fear of being late, buth the staircase had different ideas.  Hermione tumbled down the flight of stairs; every hit causing a bump or cut or bruise.  On the second to last step, she pushed her leg out in attempt to catch herself, but only managed to double back and land on her back.

            She felt a sudden jolt, causing her to stop breathing momentarily.  She had the wind knocked out of her.  _Damn, she thought.  Her foot had landed awkwardly beneath her and she felt a surge of pain rush through her leg, all the way through her to stomach.  She continued to gasp in and out as she felt the pain from her back.  She put a hand across her stomach and her eyes winced in pain and begun to sting.  She was in too much pain._

            Hermione tried to pull herself up, but quickly lay down again, hitting her head.  The pain was now overwhelming her, for nothing else could be felt.  She rolled on her side and cried out in sadness and pain.  She finally allowed her tears to fall.  She lay for a few more moments, moaning in hurt and crying in sadness.  She would lie there until the next day at least.  No one ever saw her as anything except the 'smart girl,' which she was, but she wanted to be recognized for her beauty; for herself:  Hermione Granger.

~*~*~

            Draco Malfoy was on his way to detention, which happened often, when he heard perturbing plea.  He shook his head and rolled his eyes believing that he was making things up.  He curled his lip and heard it again.  _I need to find out what that is,_ he thought.  _No, I don't have time.  He heard it again and rolled his eyes._

            He decided to follow the moans.  He rushed down the stairs and he heard the moan again.  Following the agonizing cries, he stumbled onto Hermione who was laying there with her face covered by her hair.  She didn't want to be seen crying, especially not by Malfoy.

            "Don't just lay there, Granger," snapped Draco.  He heard the moan once more and glanced at Hermione.  She gazed at him with girlish, brown eyes and he gazed back firmly.  He rolled his eyes and began walking toward the detention room again.

            "Draco," he heard a pleading voice call.  "Please take me to Madame Pompfrey.  Please."  The last pleading whisper had caused him to spin and gaze at her.  He sighed and shook his head.  _What if someone sees me? he wondered.  _

            Hesitantly, he scooped up the girl and scampered to the hospital wing.  It took longer than expected because he was avoiding being seen.  Finally they reached the hospital wing and he delicately placed Hermione on the bed closest.  She was lightweight and very fragile.  Draco summoned Madame Pompfrey immediately.

            "She was laying at the bottom of the fourth flight of stairs when I found her," Draco said the moment the doors opened and Madame Pompfrey came rushing in.  She nodded and hurried to Hermione's bedside.  She began inspecting the girl, but suddenly remembered Draco standing in the doorway.  She showed him to the door.

            "When can I come visit her?" Draco asked while he was being pushed.  Madame Pompfrey sent her a quizzical look and bit her lip to keep from laughing.

            "Tomorrow, hopefully."  Draco nodded.

            "I'll be here," he confirmed, and with that, he disappeared from the hospital wing.

~*~*~

            Hermione slowly fluttered her eyelids open and sat straight up, alarmed.  She glanced about nervously and wondered _what am I doing here?  I don't belong here.  Just as she thought that, her leg began to twinge as well as her back.  She sighed and shook her head._

            "What am I doing in the hospital wing?" she asked nervously.

            Her friends made their way to Hermione and smiled.  She sent them a quizzical look, but it soon ended when three familiar people surrounded her bed.

            "Blood hell, 'Mione," said Ron.  She shot him a 'shut-up' glare, as did Harry.  Ron shrugged and she lay on her pillow again.

            "You've severely sprained your left ankle," said Ginny, who was now making her way to join the others.  "And you need to stay off your foot for a while."  Hermione made a huffy breath and Ginny giggled.  "Don't worry.  Ron and Harry will bring your homework to you and I'm able to check out library books.  Unlike some people, I return them.  So, I'll bring them to you and we'll be up here every now and then.  Don't worry."

            "What about if I don't understand something?  I won't have the lesson to learn the homework with.  And most of my classes are advanced, unlike you people.  How am I supposed to get _that_ work?"  She folded her arms and scrunched her face.

            "I could get it from your teachers," managed Harry.  Hermione shook her head vigorously.  "Or maybe they'll bring it to you…"  Ron's jaw dropped and Harry widened his eyes as he trailed off.  Ginny snapped her head in the direction of the icy glares.  She narrowed her eyes at the sight of Draco Malfoy in the hospital wing.

            Draco ignored their glares and he walked to Hermione's bedside.  He shoved some books and a few papers into Hermione's hands and begun to stomp off.  

            "What's this?" she asked as he clomped to the door.

            "Your homework.  For all of your classes.  I get a grade for this, and I have to explain the work to you, so you better do well.  Oh!  And I figured you'd want the extra credit assignment as well," he added curtly.  With that, Draco disappeared and left the quartet to stare in bewilderment.

            "Thanks," managed Hermione, long after Draco was gone.  "I guess I figured out who'll be bringing me my homework."  The three figures gawked at her as she rolled onto her side and fell asleep.

~*~*~

            Draco trudged up the stairs to his dormitory and lay in his bed, unable to sleep.  He would have stayed with Hermione, although he had no clue why, if it weren't for certain _other_ guests in which Draco had no intention of socializing with.

            _What's wrong with me?_ wondered Draco.  _Why do I suddenly care for Hermione?  No!  You don't care about her.  I mean the mudblood. Suddenly, Draco recalled being punched for that comment.  He lifted his hand to his cheek and shook his head.  __I don't even know what to call her!  I'll stick with Granger.  Maybe Miss…No!  She doesn't deserve a title.  And you don't care about her! Argh!  But something had caused him to say that to Madame Pompfrey, but what?  Why would he say such a thing that isn't true?_

            Draco battled with himself until he was finally dead to the world.  When he awoke that morning, he decided to visit Hermione and maybe even buy her flowers.  No, that wouldn't happen.  _It would be nice…But you're not nice!_  Draco battled himself until lunchtime when he wrote her a letter.  It wasn't like he was going to deliver it to her.

~*~*~

            That night, as expected, Draco had dropped off her homework, but had accidentally left her potions homework with Snape.  She commanded him to return and get it, especially if he was going to be the one to bring her homework.  He, reluctantly, obeyed and she enjoyed this.

            When he arrived, he shoved a paper in her face, and she snatched it from his grasp.  

            "You should be thankful," he said with a devious smirk plastered on his face.

            "I am never thankful for you Malfoy," she said curtly.

            He rolled his eyes and snatched his books.  "I suppose I'll just leave it to your friend, Potter, to explain it to you.  Because you should be grateful for what I am doing!"  She shook her head.

            "I'm sorry if I've offended you, but you're doing this for a grade, let me remind you," she retorted.  Draco heaved out a sigh and cursed.

            After her quick lesson, Draco left and trudged up to his room, all the while, leaving Hermione to complete her homework.  Just as she was settling down with a book to relax, she noticed a folded note with 'Granger' written on it.  _Must be from Draco _she thought.

~*~*~

            Draco opened his notebook and looked it over.  There were drawings and bubble letters all over the front.  He opened it and read a letter to Harry, Ginny, and Ron, all from Hermione.  _If I have her notes,_ he thought, _she must have mine.  And if she has mine, that means she had that letter to—_

            He stood quickly and rushed down the stairs to the common room and out the portrait in a cold sweat..  _I need that letter, he thought panicked.  _Damn mudblood!_  _

~*~*~

            Slowly, she opened the letter and began to read in the most perfected cursive ever written, a letter to herself that was never meant to be read.


	3. What Does He Mean By That?

**Chapter:  **What does he mean by that? (Three)

**Disclaimer:  **I do not own Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Draco, Blaise, Pansy, ok…I think we get the point.  Unfortunately, I am unoriginal and am incapable of creating my own characters, so I use J.K. Rowling's characters.  J  (Which is why I post it online.)

**A/N:  **Thank you to all my non-existent adoring fans.  I enjoy your lack of reviews.  It tells me how horrible my fanfic really is.

Hermione shook her head and thought '_Why would he write to me?  What's wrong with him?'_  She looked at the letter.  '_I shouldn't read this.  Who cares?  I'm going to.'_

It read as follows:

            Dear Hermione,

            I am not really going to send this to you, so why should I write it?  Because I am bored in potions class.  That's why.  My father has taught me to hide my feeling and emotions, as did his father, and my great-grandfather, so it's in my blood, literally.  Also, I feel that you should try and understand the real me.  And, I think you should know that I am not a cold hard pain in the arse, and that I apologize for using the term 'Mudblood.'  It's mostly because you punched me, but I felt I should accept your apologies.  I am capable of human emotion, although I know it's hard for you to believe.  Again, my deepest and most sincere apologies are contained in this letter, although you'll never read it.  

            Signed,

Draco Malfoy

Hermione looked around and flushed slightly.  She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt horrible for yelling at Draco Malfoy, although she knew he had deserved every bit of what she said.  There was a knock on one of the double doors leading into the hospital wing.  She quickly folded the note and shoved it in Draco's notebook.

"Come in," she called to the mysterious knock.

In stormed Draco with cheeks as red as a Coke can, and she couldn't tell whether it was embarrassment or anger.

"Hand it over!" demanded Malfoy.

"Hand what over?" inquired Hermione, although she knew a bit too well what he was talking about.

"My notebook!"  Hermione rolled her eyes and smirked.

"So, I guess you'll be wanting that back?"  Draco shook his head and narrowed his eyes.  _Maybe he didn't want me to read that, _Hermione thought.  She decided that was the problem and she would mess with his head, but not at that moment.

Hermione held out the black and green papers toward Draco, and he exchanged them for Hermione's papers which had her name in big bubble letters scribbled all over them along with the pairing of Harry and Ginny.  She knew they would end up together and she had already tried setting them up.

Draco snatched his papers and walked out in a huff.  Hermione's smile broadened and she closed her eyes and began to drift away—to an imaginary world where no one else would be.  Sleep.

~*~*~

Draco tried to sleep, but Hermione kept attacking his brain.  _What if she read that letter?  I bet she did.  No, why would she?  She didn't say anything…_

Eventually, after about three hours, he drifted into a light, calming sleep. 

Blaise Zambini awoke him, and the sky was grey, so he couldn't decide what time it was.  "Draco," he said, alarmed, "You've already missed your History of Magic class.  Would you mind telling me what other classes you plan on ditching?"  Draco sat straight up and widened his eyes.

"I missed a _class?_" Draco asked, irritated.  _Now I won't be able to teach the lesson to Hermione,_ he thought with much disappointment.

"Yes!  Wake UP!" shouted Blaise.

Draco leaped from his bed and began running around and quickly got dressed.  He threw on his robes, backwards, and ran to the common room where everybody looked at him dumbfounded.

Blaise began laughing demonically and he scurried down the stairs after Draco. 

"I was only kidding!" he called as Draco narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"Blaise," he said, annoyed, "Don't ever do that again!  It ISN'T a funny joke and it worries me!"  Blaise nodded, trying to hide a smile, which he eventually let creep onto his face.  Draco rolled his eyes and rushed upstairs attempting, but not succeeding, in ignoring everyone's confused looks.  He gave them no notice and continued his way.

~*~*~

Ginny awoke by Hermione's bedside wrapped in Harry's cloak and holding a bouquet of gorgeous blue flowers.

"What are those for?" asked Hermione, a tad confused.

"They're flowers."  Ginny handed Hermione the bouquet and let her read the tag.

It read: 'Get well soon.  Signed, your friend in secret.'  Hermione shook her head and laughed aloud.

"Ginny," she asked playfully, "Are these from Ron?  And why are you wearing _Harry's _cloak?"  Ginny blushed after the second part and turned her face away from Hermione.

"I don't know who the flowers are from, but I am wearing Harry's cloak because I feel like it."  Hermione laughed and grinned at Ginny, which slightly irritated her.

"What are you up to?"  Ginny's face turned the colour of her hair, but Hermione was enjoying herself.  She knew all too well what was happening with the two of them.

"OK!" shouted Ginny, the guilt finally built up.  "Harry and I walked around Hogwarts last night, and now we're just a little more than friends.  And yes!  I finally got him to kiss me."  Hermione smiled maliciously; she now had black mail on, not only Ginny, but also Harry and this brought her a sense of peace.

"Oh," retorted Hermione, still grinning.  

Ginny shoved a book in her face and Hermione took it.  _A Witch's Love Life in the 1700's _was the titled.  Hermione smiled.

"Are you sure you didn't check this book out for you?" asked Hermione.  Ginny snorted and rolled her eyes.

"It's one of your assignments," remarked Ginny and Hermione nodded her head and thought _I bet it is.  _

"I have to leave you now.  I'm sorry about Malfoy being the one to give you your lesson, but I don't know what you guys are learning.  And I hope you figure out who those flowers are from.  They're gorgeous.  I wish Harry would buy me some of those."  Ginny smiled and left the hospital wing.

Hermione glanced at the flowers.  _I knew those two would eventually have romance,_ she thought sweetly.  _I wonder who sent these flowers.  I wonder why they sent these flowers.  No one sees me as anything but 'the smart girl,' Hermione Granger._

She longed for a secret admirer, even if it were Blaise Zambini.  She needed to feel loved.  Oh, sure she had Ginny, Harry, and Ron, but she wanted to be needed like an adult.  She thought her dream was ridiculous, but little did she know, she had an admirer already.  Several people wished they could have the beautiful looks and legendary brains of the renowned Hermione Granger.

She snatched the book and read it in less than two hours, all the time hating herself for not being that witch or wizard who had adventure (the fun, exciting, safe kind), love (like an adult), and need from someone other than her regular, dull friends.  It wasn't that she hated her friends; she just wanted them to actually _visit_ her more than they did when she was sick.


End file.
